Machine Shop Lead & Set up Technician

Job Title: Machine shop lead/Setup Technician

Location: Santee, CA

Department: Production

Reports To: Operations Director

FLSA Status: Exempt

Job purpose

The Machine Shop Lead is responsible for overseeing all daily machine shop operations to ensure maximum efficiency, productivity, quality, and safety. This position serves as the primary technical resource within the machine shop, ensuring machine programs, tooling, fixtures, setups, and machining processes are accurate and optimized. The Machine Shop Lead is expected to provide hands-on leadership, support machinists and operators, improve cycle times, reduce downtime, and ensure all machines are operating at peak performance.

This position requires a strong presence on the shop floor and ownership of machine shop operations. The Machine Shop Lead is expected to be the first person in the machine shop at the start of the day and the last person to leave, ensuring all production activities are properly supported and completed.

Duties and responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Machine Shop Leadership

• Provide daily leadership and direction to machine shop personnel.
• Maintain a continuous presence on the shop floor to support operators and troubleshoot issues.
• Ensure all machine shop activities align with production schedules and company objectives.
• Ensure all jobs are completed accurately in GS and that operations are properly closed out with complete and accurate documentation
• Ensure In-Process Inspection Sheets and all required manufacturing documentation are fully completed and reviewed before work is transferred to the next operation.
• Verify that all production transactions, labor reporting, and operational completions are entered correctly in GS before jobs move to the next stage
• Monitor machine utilization and production performance throughout the shift.
• Coordinate priorities and workflow to maximize productivity.
• Programming and Setup Verification
• Verify the accuracy of CNC programs prior to production.
• Review and validate machine setups before releasing jobs to production.
• Confirm correct tooling, fixtures, work offsets, and machine parameters are being utilized.
• Ensure programs comply with engineering drawings and manufacturing requirements.
• Identify and correct programming errors or process inefficiencies.

Tooling and Fixture Management

• Verify all required tooling is available, properly maintained, and correctly installed.
• Ensure fixtures are accurate, functional, and optimized for production.
• Recommend tooling improvements to increase productivity and reduce cycle times.
• Work closely with engineering and manufacturing teams to develop improved fixturing solutions.

Continuous Improvement & Efficiency in Manufacturing

• Analyze machine cycle times and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement process improvements that increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Reduce machine downtime through proactive troubleshooting and preventive actions.
• Support lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Track and report productivity improvements and cost-saving opportunities.
• Technical Support and Troubleshooting
• Serve as the primary technical resource for machine operators and setup personnel.
• Diagnose and resolve machining, tooling, programming, and quality issues.
• Assist with machine startup, setup changes, and production challenges.
• Support maintenance personnel when machine-related issues affect production.

Production and Quality

• Ensure parts are produced according to specifications, quality standards, and customer requirements.
• Verify first-piece inspections are completed and approved.
• Monitor production processes to maintain consistency and quality.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to address nonconformances and corrective actions.
• Continuous improvement implementation and cost savings.
• Operate CNC mill or late as required to ensure production levels are met and utilization is maintained at maximum.

Cross-Functional Support

• Assist other departments when required; however, the primary responsibility remains supporting machine shop operations.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Production teams to achieve company goals.
• Support training and development of machine operators and setup technicians.

Safety and Housekeeping

• Promote and enforce all company safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment.
• Ensure machine shop personnel follow established safety practices at all times
• Take full responsibility for ensuring the machine shop operates efficiently, effectively, and safely every day

Leadership Expectations

• Lead by example through accountability, professionalism, and technical expertise.
• Maintain a strong shop floor presence throughout the workday.
• Be proactive in identifying and resolving issues before they impact production.
• Foster a culture of ownership, teamwork, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Key Performance Indicators

• Machine utilization and uptime
• Production efficiency and throughput
• Cycle time reductions
• Setup time reductions
• Quality performance and scrap reduction
• Accurate GS job completions and operation closures
• Completion and accuracy of in-process inspection documentation
• On-time production completion

Direct reports

With the assistance of CEO, Director of Operations and Human Resources, this role maintains a supervisory role for the following positions:

CNC Mill Machinist

CNC Lathe Machinist

Manual Machinist

Supervisory role includes, but not limited to: Daily review and adjustment to performance and production goals, counseling and training to ensure employee effectiveness, performance and proper management of PIP’s, Disciplinary action, up to and including termination when approved.  

Skills and Qualifications

• Extensive experience operating and setting up CNC machining equipment.
• Strong understanding of CNC programming, tooling, fixturing, and machining processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, blueprints, and GD&T.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading shop floor personnel and coordinating daily operations.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and make sound technical decisions.
• Working conditions
• This job operates in a manufacturing environment. The employee can expect:  
• Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.  
• Moderate Machine noise exists. 
• Proper protective clothing/eyewear/footwear is required.
• Physical requirements
• The ability to manually lift and manipulate weights up to 50 lbs. safely.
• Ability to safely use basic and advanced hand-tools such as drills, saws, screwdrivers, hammers, etc.
• The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading
• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction, and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and making fine discriminations in sound.